John Reid has just told the BBC he is resigning when Blair goes in June. Guido wonders if he has given up on leading the Labour party or if he is positioning himself on the backbenches until after Labour’s general election defeat. He says he wants to stand down from frontline politics and “I think it’s a good thing to be able to go out to listen, to learn, to discuss, to get back to the grass roots.”

If you are standing down from frontline politics, why would want to get close to the grassroots? Has he really lost all ambition?

UPDATE : Fraser Nelson is reporting speculation that Brown offered Reid an effective demotion, so Heath-like, Reid flounced off. Let that be a warning to any who dare to stand up to the Dark Lord.